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Thinking of switching from GM , ? on tow performance 5.3l 3:42, 6spd , comparison to 5.7: 3:21 8spd.

rlsray

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I'm thinking of making the jump to 2019 ram, Had a rental and it was a real nice truck. It seems like a lot of crew big horns 4x4 are equipped with 3:21s , i currently tow (6-7x/year) a 6300lb dry trailer with the family (5) in a 2015 silverado double cab 5.3 3:42 6spd. It seems SAE spec wise . with the non e-torque 5.7 hemi RAM 3:21 are about 800-1000lbs less tow rating ( trailer and GCVWR ) and a few hundred lbs lower payload than the chevy 5.3 3:42 combo in 4x4 crew cab shortbox . Not too excited to try and jump up to 3:92, Anyone have any real world comparison between the 3:21 ram 5.7 vs GM 3:42 5.3 6spd combo? Need to decide quick big end finish $$$ running out of time. Thanks
 

MN5241

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I found this interesting, just last night I was taking a look at my fathers 16 Silverado crew cab short box. I believe its the 3:23 rear gears, 5.3 with the 8 speed actually had a lower pay load than my Laramie crew cab, which I have the pano roof, 12" screen etc, which I'd think would lower my payload?
The Silverado was 1548lbs
My Ram is 1607lbs

Now I wish I looked at the numbers of my 15 Silverado before trading. Same set up as yours, but crew cab and fully loaded LTZ, not z71 so lots of weight from extra features. I know the tow rating on that was 9200? While my ram is 8300 or so.

I pull a 16ft dump trailer several times a year, not loaded but empty its about 4-5k lbs. The Silverado never seemed to have trouble with it except the tongue weight. I have not had the opportunity to hook it up to my Ram to compare, I'm still waiting on the trailer brake controller to make it to my dealer. But I am really curious about this as well.
 

Rustydodge

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I'm thinking of making the jump to 2019 ram, Had a rental and it was a real nice truck. It seems like a lot of crew big horns 4x4 are equipped with 3:21s , i currently tow (6-7x/year) a 6300lb dry trailer with the family (5) in a 2015 silverado double cab 5.3 3:42 6spd. It seems SAE spec wise . with the non e-torque 5.7 hemi RAM 3:21 are about 800-1000lbs less tow rating ( trailer and GCVWR ) and a few hundred lbs lower payload than the chevy 5.3 3:42 combo in 4x4 crew cab shortbox . Not too excited to try and jump up to 3:92, Anyone have any real world comparison between the 3:21 ram 5.7 vs GM 3:42 5.3 6spd combo? Need to decide quick big end finish $$$ running out of time. Thanks

I think you will be fine going with the 3.21 as it has 8 speeds vs your chevy's 6sp. The additional transmission gears really make for the lower gear ratio in the ram. Plus 5.7 has more horsepower/torque than 5.3. Most publications/comparisons seem to have only 3.92 geared Ram trucks, however there is this one: https://www.guideautoweb.com/en/articles/48705/full-size-pickup-comparison-test-battle-royale/
which had a 3.21 geared ram. I wouldn't fear the gear though if you find one with 3.92s. You'll just likely have slightly lower MPG.
 
C

chuck1221

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I just traded my 2014 gmc sierra slt quad cab with the 5.3 and 3.08 gears and 6 speed mainly due to towing and transmission issues. I have a 5000 lb dry travel trailer and a couple other trailers I tow for snowmobiling. If I could keep it 55 mph or lower it did alright and would get ok mpg but was always shifting and started experiencing the transmission shifting weird and noises in cold start up. GM had no interest in looking into my issues and kept telling me everything was normal, I can assure you it wasn't. It was under warranty and they wouldnt do anything for me so I traded it in for a 2019 ram quad cab with the 5.7 and 3.92s. Transmission is night and day better! Shifting, smooth as butter. Doesn't down shift over tiny hills anymore but my mpgs so far are 2 - 5 mpg lower than the gmc. I am ok with that being the truck pulls it ok. I have 1100 miles in the new truck now and one trip towing roughly 5000 lbs. I got 7 - 8 mpg on freeway (70 - 75 mph) and 9 - 10.5 on regular highway (45-60). I was hoping for more but it is what it is. I can't comment on the 3.21s but thought maybe that would help. Not towing I am at 16.8 freeway and 13.5 ish around town. The mpg are all what the truck says. I have not hand calculated them yet. I will be heading north snowmobiling again this Friday and am going to try going slower on the freeway.

Chuck
 

Mikent

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I had a 2011 Silverado with a 5.3 and 3:42 gears, I towed a 14’ tandem axles trailer with a side x side and some other gear, total weight was a little over 5,000 #. Now have a Ram, 5.7 etorque with 3:21 gears, still pulling the same trailer and a newer and slightly heavier side x side. The Ram has more power and torque and does fine pulling the trailer, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in the Ram. I sold the Chevy several years but as I recall the Chevy May have gotten a little better mileage pulling the trailer.
 

VaderRebel

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Having just had a Chev rental for some insurance work done on my Rebel... I can honestly say without comparing the finer details, like gears and trans performance... you are going to be godsmacked at the difference in ride, power and overall everything in the Ram. If MPG is your primary focus... you really need to ask deeper questions, budget vs frustrations: how much are you willing to put up with to save $50 a month in gas? I'd rather push my Ram the last 50feet to a gas station, than drive in, in a Chevy.

Just my humble opinion.
 

2wd

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For some perspective, I came from a last gen f150 with the 5.0. motor, just a little less power than the 5.7.

Note that for the 5.0 motor, the max tow config came with 3.73 rear end for a max tow in the low 9000 lbs.

Comparing the final drive ratio's of 3.73 w/6R80 Ford Trans, and Ram 5.7 3.21 w/ZF8 spd, you'll find with the exception of 1st gear where the Ford had a slight mechanical advantage, the Ram has an advantage in every other gear. In other words, the Ram w/3.21 and 8 speed is more tow capable than the Max tow f150 5.0 config from 2011-2014 which was rated north of 9000 lbs.

I'll post a tow report for the Ram w/3.21 in the future but I doubt this setup will have any trouble in any scenario up to 8k lbs. Will it tow as easily as the 3.93? No. But I'm sure it will handle the trailer wonderfully in any terrain, given my experience with the Ford (which was rated for more tow capacity but slightly weaker drive ratio's/HP/Torque).
 

rlsray

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Thanks for the advice , I pulled the trigger on a 2019 CC Big Horn Ram 5.7 with 3:21, The performance of my rental Ram was impressive, I got the rental vin , had my dealer look up specs and it had 3:21. Still curious why the lower tow rating in SAE tow rating, Maybe cooling temp, or Tranny temp limitations? Either way I'm not gonna worry about .
300 miles in and so far its a awesome truck !
 

runamuck

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you will notice a big differance pulling that trailer. I traded a 2017 gmc sierra slt 4x4 ccsb 5.3 with 3.42 and 6 spd. tranny for my laramie. with 40 more hp. the 8 spd. tranny and 3.93 gears, the laramie pulls my 6000# trailer easily where the gmc had to struggle. the low 1st gear in the ram 8 spd. is really low and with 8 speeds and 3.92 gears it tows great. the only draw back with the ram is lower cargo capacity. I pull mine at around 70 when towing. no high temps from trans or radiator. I get 8.5-10 when towing. I swapped the sway bar for the Helwig because I was getting a little shimmy in the rear when towing. mine only has 1324# cargo cap. so a cpl. hundred less than my sierra.
 

SP97

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I'm thinking of making the jump to 2019 ram, Had a rental and it was a real nice truck. It seems like a lot of crew big horns 4x4 are equipped with 3:21s , i currently tow (6-7x/year) a 6300lb dry trailer with the family (5) in a 2015 silverado double cab 5.3 3:42 6spd. It seems SAE spec wise .

rlsray
For what it is worth, TFL truck has a pretty good video comparing Ford, GM, and Ram 1/2 ton trucks. While the gearing isn't what you specified, it does state what the gearing etc. is and may give you a some idea relative to one another. Other good videos and articles there too. link below.

https://www.tfltruck.com/2018/12/ford-gm-ram-best-towing-truck-ike-gauntlet/
 

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